Wrench adapter assembly

ABSTRACT

A wrench adapter assembly is provided that can adapt a conventional manual or power wrench to be used to grasp and rotate a smooth-surfaced cylindrical object. The wrench adapter assembly includes of a pivoting hook, a biasing means for the hook, a wrench adapter with a multisided flange for engaging the jaw of a wrench and a concave jaw. The pivoting hook is in circumferential alignment with the concave jaw so as to receive a smooth-surfaced cylindrical article. The flange shoulder has sides that match up with the sides of the jaw of the wrench. Once the wrench adapter assembly is secured within the wrench jaw, it may receive and hold a smooth-surfaced cylindrical article. The wrench adapter rotates with the jaw of the wrench. Thus, the wrench may be used in combination with the wrench adapter assembly to rotate smooth-surfaced cylindrical articles.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to wrench adapters and more particularly towrench adapters that allow the use of a conventional wrench onsmooth-surfaced cylindrical articles.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Many situations arise in manufacturing, industrial and maintenancesettings wherein a smoothed-surfaced cylindrical article must be rotatedat or near a use site. Examples of such cylindrical articles includeplastic and metal piping, plastic and metal conduits, and hose. Wrencheshave been the most common tools used in rotating or turning ofcylindrical articles. The wrenches are generally used on articles withflat portions on their outer surface that allow for a secure grip with awrench. However, conventional wrenches have traditionally beenineffective in use with smooth-surfaced cylindrical articles due totheir inability to maintain a grip on such an article during rotation.As a result, manual rotation has been required in the past. It has beena laborious process that holds the risk of injury, including carpaltunnel syndrome, for those who undertake it. Thus, there is a presentneed in countless circumstances for a device that may adapt aconventional wrench to engage and hold a smooth-surfaced cylindricalarticle during rotation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adapter assemblyfor a wrench whereby the wrench may be used to hold and rotate asmooth-surfaced cylindrical article.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an adapterassembly that may be used with both manual and power-driven wrenches.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adapterassembly that may be used in clockwise or counterclockwise rotation.

More particularly, the present invention provides a wrench adapterassembly that may be inserted into a conventional manual or powerwrench, and is designed to receive and hold a smooth-surfacedcylindrical article, such as conduit, piping, tubing or the like, whichcan then be rotated by the wrench. The wrench adapter assemblycomprises: a wrench adapter; a hook; a bias means, such as a spring; atleast one pivot pin for the spring and hook; and, at least one cover.The wrench adapter, preferably of arcuate shape, has a flange, aU-shaped slot, at least one channel and a plurality of aperturestherein. The U-shaped slot extends from the adapter through the flange,as do the plurality of apertures. The U-shaped slot is aligned so as toreceive a smooth-surfaced cylindrical article. The apertures are alignedparallel to the U-shaped slot and may contain smooth walls or threadswithin their inner surfaces. The flange, preferably of arcuate shape,has a shoulder that is designed to align with the faces of a wrench jawthat receives the adapter assembly. The hook may have at least onegroove and/or edge within its concave inner surface and a sharpened tipadjacent to the end of one leg to assist in the holding of asmooth-surfaced cylindrical article. The hook also includes an aperturethrough which the pin extends to allow the hook to pivot. The spring isso aligned as to engage the hook and bias it in an open position, so asto receive a smooth-surfaced cylindrical body. The channel locatedwithin the adapter portion is aligned so as to receive one leg of thebiasing mechanism, thereby providing a counterpoint to the biasingaction of the mechanism. The adapter also contains another channel thatis aligned so as to receive the top leg of the hook when the hook pivotsinward.

The wrench adapter and cover can be arcuate or other convenient shape.The cover also contains a U-shaped slot and a plurality of apertures.

The components of the wrench adapter assembly may be fabricated from ametal, such as stainless steel or carbon steel, or other hard durablematerials. The method of fabrication of the wrench adapter assembly maybe by methods known to those skilled in the art such as machining,metal-working, or injection molding.

It will become apparent that other objects and advantages of the presentinvention will be obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading thedetailed description of the preferred embodiment set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is side view of a preferred embodiment of a wrench adapterassembly;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the wrench adapter assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wrench adapter of FIG. 1 showing aflange without the flange cover;

FIG. 4 is an end view of a wrench adapter of the preferred embodiment ofthe instant invention;

FIG. 5 is the opposing end view of the wrench adapter of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end view of a hook of the wrench adapter assembly;

FIG. 7 is an end view of a biasing means of the wrench adapter assembly;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the pivoting pin of the preferredembodiment of the wrench adapter assembly;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the flange cover of the wrench adapterassembly;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the wrench adapter assembly in fixedconnection with a wrench and a smooth-surfaced article, the hook coverbeing removed and laid on top of the wrench, the fastening screws arenot shown.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in the figures, a preferred wrench adapter assembly 10 of thepresent invention includes: an arcuate wrench adapter 20; an arcuateflange cover 30; an arcuate hook cover 40; a pivoting hook 50; a biasingmeans 60; at least one pivot pin 70; and, a plurality of threaded screws81. The wrench adapter body 20 includes a U-shaped slot 22, a flange 24,at least one channel 26, and a plurality of apertures 29, as best shownin FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The flange 24 projects out of the adapter body 20parallel to the U-shaped slot 22. Flange 24 has a six-sided shoulder 25,as shown in FIG. 3. Each shoulder side 27 is sized so as to meet flushwith the sides of the jaw of a wrench (not shown). Other embodiments ofthe wrench adapter 10 may have flange shoulders 25 with various numbersof sides so as to fit wrenches with different multisided jaws. Flange 24also includes a U-shaped slot 12 extending the length of the flange 24.Flange 24 has a plurality of apertures 29 defined therein. The innersurfaces of the apertures 29 may be smooth or contain threads.

FIG. 9 shows the arcuate flange cover 30 which includes a U-shaped slot32 and a plurality of apertures 39.

FIG. 6 shows the pivoting hook 50 has a top leg 52 and a drop leg 54.The two legs 52 and 54 define an inner concave surface 56. Within theconcave surface 56 is one or more grooves 58 and one or more edges 59 toassist in the holding of a smooth-surfaced cylindrical article. Thepivoting hook 50 also includes an aperture 51 that through the hook 50parallel to the concave surface 56. The drop leg 54 includes a sharpenedtip 53, located at the terminal edge of the concave surface 56, toassist in the holding of a smooth-surfaced cylindrical article.

FIG. 10 shows that the arcuate hook cover 40 includes a U-shaped slot42, at least one channel 44 and a plurality of apertures 49.

FIG. 8 shows a pivot pin 70 which is generally smooth-surfaced andcylindrical. In the preferred embodiment, the biasing means 60 is atorque spring, but other commonly known biasing means may be substitutedfor the spring described herein. The spring 60 has two legs in L-shapedconfiguration with a loop 62 at the intersection of the two legs, asshown in FIG. 7.

When the aforementioned parts are assembled into the wrench adapterassembly 10, the pivoting pin 70 is inserted through the apertures inthe flange cover 30, wrench adapter 20, and hook cover 40. The preferredembodiment contains two pivot pins 70 that extend through the aperturesin the adapter and both covers when assembled, as shown in FIG. 10. Thehook 50 may be positioned onto either one of the pivot pins 70,depending on whether the assembly 10 is to be used for clockwise orcounterclockwise rotation. The hook 50 is circumferentially aligned withthe U-shaped slot 12 in the adapter 20, as shown in FIG. 2. Between thewrench adapter 20 and the hook cover 40, the loop 62 of spring 60 ispositioned onto pivoting pin 70 over which is placed hook 50. Hook 50 ispivotable about the axis of pivot pin 70. One leg 64 of spring 60engages hook 50, while the other leg 66 engages channel 26 of wrenchadapter 20. The spring 60 thereby biases the hook 50 to the openposition, so that the hook 50 may receive a smooth-surfaced cylindricalobject 80.

As shown in FIG. 1, flange cover 30 is abutted to flange 24perpendicularly to flange shoulder 25. Hook cover 40 is placed over thehook 50 and spring 60 abutting the face of wrench adapter 20 oppositethat of the flange 24, with the hook cover channels 44 facing the wrenchadapter 20. Apertures 29, 39 and 49 in the adapter 20, flange cover 30and hook cover 40, respectively, are aligned so that screws 81 may bethreaded through the components so as to fasten the parts together,thereby forming the wrench adapter assembly 10. The U-shaped slots ineach assembly component combine to form a concave jaw 77, wherein asmooth-surfaced article 80 may be received.

Once the wrench adapter assembly 10 is fastened together, it may beinserted into a wrench by bringing the flange shoulders 25 flush withthe sides of the jaw of a wrench 99. Once the assembly 10 is securedwithin the wrench, a smooth-surfaced cylindrical article 80 may bereceived within the concave jaw 77 of the assembly 10. The biasing meansholds hook 50 open to receive the smooth-surfaced cylindrical articlewithin the concave jaw 77. Once the article is received, the hook 50pivots inward, thereby securing the article within the assembly 10. Theassembly 10 may then be rotated, either by rotating the entire wrench,in the case of a manual wrench, or by operating the jaw of the powerwrench 99. The cylindrical article 80 rotates with the assembly 10. Thehook 50 will engage the article 80 only when the assembly 10 is rotatedin one direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise depending onwhich pivot pin 70 the hook 50 is placed. Thus, the wrench 99 may berotated in the opposite direction to which the article is directed,thereby allowing for the threading of articles 80 in locations wherefull wrench rotation is not achievable.

It will be realized that various changes may be made to the specificembodiment shown and described without departing from the scope andspirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wrench adapter assembly comprising: a wrenchadapter having a U-shaped slot and a polygonal flange projecting fromsaid wrench adapter parallel to said U-shaped slot, adapted to rotatablycommunicate in fixed connection with a jaw of a wrench; a hook pivotallyattached to an edge of said slot for pivotal movement toward a centralaxis through said slot; and, bias means for normally biasing said hooktoward said edge.
 2. The wrench adapter assembly of claim 1 furthercomprising: at least one pin fixedly attached to said wrench adapter,said pin receiving said hook.
 3. The wrench adapter assembly of claim 2wherein said bias means is a torque spring concentrically attached tosaid pin and engaging said hook and said wrench adapter.
 4. The wrenchadapter assembly of claim 1, wherein said hook includes a sharpened tip.5. The wrench adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein said hook includes atleast one groove therein.
 6. The wrench adapter assembly of claim 1,wherein said wrench adapter includes at least one channel therein. 7.The wrench adapter assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a flangecover fixedly attached to said wrench adapter, having a U-shaped slotand at least one aperture therein; and, a hook cover fixedly attached tosaid wrench adapter, having a U-shaped slot, at least one aperture andat least one channel therein.
 8. A device for engaging and rotating asmooth-surfaced cylindrical article comprising: a wrench; and, a wrenchadapter assembly comprising a wrench adapter having a U-shaped slot anda multisided flange projecting therefrom parallel to said U-shaped slot,adapted to rotatably communicate in fixed connection with a jaw of saidwrench, a hook pivotally attached to said wrench adapter incircumferential alignment with said U-shaped slot, bias means fornormally biasing said book toward an edge of said U-shaped slot.